Ontario Delivering New Postsecondary Campus in Milton

Province Improving Access to Education and Training for Students in Halton Region

Ontario will provide students with access to high-quality postsecondary education and training with a new site built in the growing Halton Region.

Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and Indira Naidoo-Harris, Halton MPP and Minister of Education, announced today a new postsecondary site in Milton to improve access to local talent in one of Canada's fastest growing communities.

Focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), programming will be delivered in partnership between Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College. The new site will provide up to 2,000 new undergraduate spaces within five to 10 years.

A range of programs will be offered at the new site to prepare students for work, including a variety of experiential learning opportunities, co-op placements and unique access to a 'living laboratory' on the Greenbelt/Niagara Escarpment. Laurier will also develop partnerships with the Milton Chamber of Commerce and its over 700 members to offer students meaningful experiences within the local community.

Ontario's plan to support care, create opportunity and make life more affordable during this period of rapid economic change includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25, and 65 or over, through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.

Quick Facts

Ontario will invest $90 million in a new postsecondary campus in Milton.

Halton, and in particular Milton, is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, located along Ontario’s Innovation SuperCorridor, home to dense pockets of start-ups, research institutions and world-class talent.

Population growth over the next 20 years is expected to be concentrated in areas in and around the City of Toronto, including York, Peel and Halton Regions.

Currently, the combined 18-24 year old population of Halton/Peel is almost 200,000 and is anticipated to grow by almost 20 per cent by 2035.

Ontario has invested $4.1 billion in capital funding for colleges and universities since 2003.

Additional Resources

Quotes

“Our government is focused on preparing people to take on new challenges in a changing economy, and access to postsecondary education and training is a key part of that. By delivering that access to the Halton Region, we’re building capacity for more people in the area to become highly skilled, educated workers — particularly through the site’s focus on experiential learning and career development.”

Mitzie Hunter

Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development

“Milton is at the heart of Ontario’s Innovation Supercorridor and is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada. The expansion of postsecondary education here will drive innovation and opportunity, and grow the local community. This new campus creates a path forward for young people, businesses and the Halton Region.”

Indira Naidoo-Harris

Halton MPP, Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for Early Years and Child Care

“We are thrilled by today’s news and grateful for the Ontario government’s ongoing investment in post-secondary education. Laurier and the Town of Milton have been working towards this goal for more than a decade. I want to thank our municipal colleagues, area residents and our many partners who have worked so hard to bring post-secondary education to this vibrant community.”

Deborah MacLatchy

President and Vice Chancellor, Wilfrid Laurier University

“We appreciate the Government of Ontario’s investment in the Laurier-Conestoga partnership for Milton. We look forward to working with our academic, industry and government partners to deliver relevant, accessible, career-focused learning programs that support the needs of the community, contribute to personal and professional success, and contribute to economic growth for the region.”

John Tibbits

President, Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

“On behalf of the entire community, I am thrilled to congratulate Wilfrid Laurier University on their successful proposal to build a STEAM-focused, post-secondary site in Milton. In a world of life-long learning, the Milton Education Village is a game-changer for our community and we couldn’t have better partners than Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College.”